The ruling Georgian Dream party won an overwhelming victory in Georgia’s October 4 municipal elections, capturing all 64 mayoral seats amid an opposition boycott, low voter turnout, and minimal international monitoring presence. Critics allege the elections were manipulated to fabricate a competitive image through “technical opposition” parties aligned with Georgian Dream, while genuine opposition movements faced repression, arrests, and exclusion under restrictive new laws. Following the failed opposition protests, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze claimed the protests were orchestrated by foreign intelligence services, fostering an argument for potentially banning opposition parties and consolidating Georgian Dream’s power.
Georgian Dream Consolidates Power Following Municipal Elections – Jamestown
